Court convenes to hear Kanu’s pending applications, Thursday

Federal High Court in Abuja will convene, Thursday, to hear applications filed by leader of the pro-secession group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu through his counsel.

Confirming the development, Wednesday night, lead counsel to Kanu, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor said the court will hold an emergency session to consider all the defendant’s pending applications, including bail.

In a short statement, Ejiofor said the legal team’s pending applications included bail of their client.

“Greetings UmuChineke, we wish to notify you that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case has been fixed tomorrow, 2nd December, 2021, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for the hearing of our pending applications.

“As always, your fervent prayers are solicited. VICTORY is our only goal and it will surely be achieved.

“Thank you all for your support and prayers thus far”, Ejiofor wrote

It the court grants Kanu’s fresh request for bail, it will be for the second time, as the activist had earlier jumped bail leading to his alleged extradition to continue trial on a seven-count charge brought against him by the Federal Government, through the Department of State Security (DSS).

Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja court had ordered Kanu to remain in the custody of the DSS for his trial on the charges leveled against him by the Nigerian government.

The fresh move to consider applications by Kanu may not unconnected with the visit by prominent leaders of the South East, who, penultimate Friday, were received by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House.

The Igbo leaders had pleaded for the unconditional release of Kanu from DSS custody.

President Buhari, while receiving the delegation of leaders from the South East geopolitical zone led by First Republic parliamentarian and Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, at State House, Abuja, same day, however, had accepted to consider the option of unconditional release of Kanu.

He, however, admitted that the offer of unconditional release of the secessionist ‘runs contrary to the doctrine of separation of powers between the Executive and Judiciary.’

Buhari also told the delegation of Igbo leaders that as president in six years, ‘nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the Judiciary.’

He, however, promised to consider the offer of unconditionally freeing the activist.

“You’ve made an extremely difficult demand on me as leader of this country. The implication of your request is very serious. In the last six years, since I became President, nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the Judiciary. God has spared you, and given you a clear head at this age, with very sharp memory. A lot of people half your age are confused already. But the demand you made is heavy. I will consider it,” Buhari told the Igbo delegation.

Continuing, the President reiterated his policy of non-interference with the Judiciary, saying; ‘when Kanu jumped bail, got arrested and brought back to the country, I said the best thing was to subject him to the system. Let him make his case in court, instead of giving very negative impressions of the country from outside. I feel it’s even a favour to give him that opportunity.’

The Igbo delegation notably did not include those from the apex socio-cultural body, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo.